Watford’s Valentine Star: Who is the Hornets’ most loved player?

Despite strike partner Odion Ighalo hogging most of the limelight at Vicarage Road and the back page headlines so far this season with his blistering form in front of goal, the ‘talisman’ tag still very much belongs to that of Troy Deeney among the majority of Watford fans.

The 27-year-old, who was bizarrely the subject of speculated interest from Premier League title contenders Arsenal during the January transfer window, has scored six and assisted six goals in 25 league games for the Hornets so far this season.

Deeney, who arrived at Watford from League One Walsall back in August 2010 for a reported initial fee of just £250,000, will always be loved by the Vicarage Road faithful having spearheaded and captained his teammates’ rise into the English top-flight only last year.

The Birmingham-born ace formed a lethal partnership with Nigeria international Ighalo following his move from Serie A outfit Udinese to fire the Hornets to the Premier League for the first time since 2007.

He scored 21 times and assisted another ten goals in the Championship last campaign to skipper his side to second place, just a point behind eventual champions AFC Bournemouth.

Now with 88 goals in 247 first-team appearances in Watford colours; Deeney is firmly the club’s biggest fan favourite having shaken off his ‘bad boy’ reputation for that more illustrious ‘talisman’ tag having finished as the club’s top goalscorer in all competitions in three of his five seasons.